Tom Orr

Thomas Orr is a Seminole resident who currently serves as the immediate Past Chairman on the Board of Directors at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, a nonprofit 501-C3 organization. In 2011 he was featured on the cover of the Alumni Magazine at the University of Toledo for his work with the Aquarium where he has over 5,000 volunteer hours. His roles ranged from rescuing dolphin & whales for over a decade to serving as the Board Chairman between 2008 -2010. He helped the organization grow from 3 million to over 20 million dollars in annual revenue which was primarily from the #1 hit films, “Dolphin Tale” & “Dolphin Tale 2”. The film, based upon the true story of a tailless dolphin “Winter” & stars Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick, Jr., and Ashley Judd, has inspired millions of people to visit the aquarium.

Thomas will bring to life the behind the scenes look at the aquarium as he takes you through what it is like to dedicate your life to helping injured marine mammals. The title of the speech is called, “All You Need Is One” and ties back to the one dollar that was used to start the aquarium which later brought over 2.1 billion dollars to Pinellas Country. You will hear the true stories that lead to the movies and get an inside glimpse at the actors personalities. He will make you laugh and help rescue the human spirit as you learn about the life changing impact “Winter” has had on so many lives. Thomas uses his master storytelling skills combined with his real life experiences to touch the heart strings and leaves you feeling inspired to make a difference in the world!

Aquarium Mission Statement: We believe in preserving our environment while inspiring the human spirit through leadership in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine life; environmental education; research; and conservation.